Live With Hope initiative brings members to streets
Seventh-day Adventists in the Philippines last Saturday distributed some 5 million pieces of literature throughout the northern part of the country as part of a major outreach campaign.
Wearing red shirts, they paraded and distributed "Live with Hope" initiative pamphlets and books about the church's mission to pedestrians, street vendors and motorists, as well as in homes, offices and hospitals.
Many residents throughout northern provinces and all cities comprising Metro Manila received the literature. In Quezon City alone, Winilfredo Ellazar, chairman of a local pastoral district, estimated that about 4,000 members from 40 Adventist congregations joined in distributing tracts in their territory.
"We are doing this to strengthen the work here in Quezon City," Ellazar said.
After the distribution of the reading materials, members gathered in churches, halls and gymnasiums to share their experiences. Many reported they had received follow-up calls and texts from those who receive the materials.
"This is very good, very big impact [on] the Philippines," said Ronell Ike Mamarimbing, a doctoral student Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies in Silang, Cavite. "I am very happy we [went] inside the buses and visited many places and met many people and encountered many questions."
The region-wide campaign follows similar initiatives in other parts of the world. In May, hundreds of thousands of Adventists in South America distributed some 30 million magazines locally in eight countries.
There are about 250,000 Adventists in the church's North Philippines region.